Switch box



H. G. BAXTER SWITCH BOX Filed Sept. 25, 1919 Dec. 28 1926.

H Af A ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 28, 1.926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD G. BAXTER, OF BALDWIN, NEW YORK. ASSIGNOR. BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC 85 MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH BOX.

Application filed September 25, 1919. Serial No. 326,217.

My invention relates to switch boxes and particularly to safety switchboxes.

One object of my invention is to provide a safety switch box that shallhave means b for ensuring that the fuses may be replaced with safety,irrespective of the connections of the box to the circuit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple, eii'ective andinexpensive interlockino' device for a switch box of the above indicatedcharacter. In practicing my invention, I provide a base portion and anoutwardly extending front portion of rectangular shape. A receptacle isslidably mounted in the outwardl extending portion and has, on the innerce thereof, contact members for co-operating with stationary contactmembers in the base portion of the switch box. Fuses are mounted in thereceptacle in such positions as to be exposed when the door to t-heoutwardly extending portion is open. A lever arm is provided for movingthe receptacle to the open-'circuit position of the switch, and the dooris provided with a cam member that is adapted to extend through tworegistering openings in the outwardly extending portion and thereceptacle only when the receptacle is in the open position of theswitch. In other words, the door may be opened only when the switch isopen to permit thefuses to be replaced with safety. It will be seenthat, since the fuse is entirely disconnected from the circuit when theswitch is opened, it may be replaced with safety, irrespective of theconnection of the switch box to the circuit. With this form ofconstruction, the switch cannot be closed so long as the door is open,and the door cannot be opened so long as the switch is closed.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side.view, partially insection and partially in elevation, of a switch box embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the switch box shown inFig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a side view, partially in elevation and partiallyin section, of the switch box shown in Fig. 1, in the open. position ofthe switch. A switch box 1 comprises, in general, a base portion 2 ofrectangular shapev having a cover 3 that is so formed as to constitute,at its central portion, an outwardly extending portion 4 of rectangularshapel The outwardly extending portion 4 is provided with a door 5 andcontains a receptacle 6 that is slidably mounted therein.

Two lever arms 7-7 are pivotally mounted ou the cover 3 at therespective sides of the portion 4 and are provided with a handle 9 foractuating the same. The portion 4 has slots 1() in the sides thereofthrough which pins 11, that are mounted in the sides of the receptacle6, extend to the lever arms 7. The lever arms 7 are provided `with slots12 to permit a lost-motion connection to the pins 11. By thisarrangement, the receptacle 6 may be moved in the outwardly extendingportion 4 of the switch box.

An insulating member 13 is disposed in the base portion oi. the switchbox 2 and is provided with stationary Contact members 14 that areconnected to load conductors 15 and 16. An insulating member 17 isdisposed in the base of the receptacle 6 and hasV contact members 18 onone face thereof and fuses 19 on the other face thereof. The fuses areconnected between the respective contact members 18 in order that. whenthe contact members 18 are in engagement with the Contact members 14,the fuses 19 may be connected in circuit with the conductors 15 and 16.In order to open or close the circuit, it is merely necessary to actuate'the handle 9 to thus actuate the receptacle 6.

The door 5 of the portion 4 is provided with a cam portion 2O at itshinged end. The outwardly-extending portion 4 -is provided with anopening 21 and the receptacle 6 is also provided with an opening 22 thatare adapted to register only when the contact members 14 and 18 areseparated and the receptacle 6 is in the position shown in Fig. 3. Inthis position, the cam member 20 is adapted to pass through the re'stering openings 21 and 22 to permit the oor 5 to be opened. When thedoor 5 is in its open position, the contact members 14 and 18 cannot beclosed and, when the contact members 14 and 18 are engaged, the door 5can- 100 not be opened. A projection 23 is mounted on the lever arm 7,and a corresponding projection 24 is mounted on the side of the portion4. These projections have openings 25 therein to receive a padlock tolock the 105 switch in its open position when desired.

The outwardly-extending portion 4 is provided with a projection Q6 thatextends through an opening 27 in the door 5 to receive a seal 28 when itis desired to seal the door 5 in its closed position.

Since the contact members 18 are mounted on a slidable member which isaccurately positioned in the outwardly-extending portion of the box, itwill be seen that accurate alineme-nt of the contact members may beeasily effected and, since, with this construction. it is necessary touse only the simple interlock 20, it will be understood that the switchbox may be inexpensive to construct and effective in its operation.

While I have shown a preferred form ot myvinvention, it will beunderstood that various modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit'und scope of the invention, as set forth inthe appended claims.

l claim as my invention 1. The combination with a casing having a baseportion and an outwardly extending portion havin@ an opening therein, ofa receptacle slidably mounted in the outwardly extending portion andclosing access to the base portion, an insulating member in the bottomof the slidable receptacle, switch members mounted in the base portionot' the casing, co-operating switch members mounted on one side of theinsulating member, a fuse mounted on the other side ot the insulatingmember, a door for the outwardly extending portion of the casing, meansfor sliding the receptacle outwardly, and means mounted on the door forinterlocking with the sliding receptacle.

2. The combination with a casing having a base portion and an outwardlyextending portion, of a slidable member in the outwardly extendingportion, contact members mounted on the base portion and on one side ofthe slidablel member, a fuse mounted in the slidable member, a door forthe outwardly extending ortion having a cam portion that exten s throughopenings in the casing and the slidable member when the contact'membersare separated.

3. The combination with a casing having u base portion and an outwardlyextending portion, of a slidable member in the outwardly extendingportion, contact members mounted on the base portion and on one side ofthe slidable member, a fuse mounted in the slidable member, a door forthe out-4 wardly extending' portion having a cam portion that extendsthrough openings in the casing and thci slidable member only when theslidable member is in such position that the contact members areseparated.

4. A switch box comprising a easing having a base and an outwardlyextending front portion, a slidable receptacle disposedin the frontportion, a switch disposed between the base and the unexposed side otthe slidable receptacle, a fuse within the receptacle, a door .for thefront portion ot' the casing buv ing a projection thereon that isadapted to extend through' two registering openings in ,between theslidable member and the base portion, a fuse disposed on the slidablemember, vmeans tor actuating the slidable member to open the switch, anda door. for the front portion adapted to be held in its closed positionso long as the slidable member is in the closed position of the switch.

6. A switch box comprising a casing hav- .ing a base portion and anoutwardly extending front portion of reduced cross-sectional area, aclosely fitting slidable member disposed in the front portion, a switchdisposed between the slidable member and the base portion, a fusedisposed on the slidable member, means for actuating the slidable memberto open the switch, and a door for the front portion to permit access tothe fuse only when the slidable member is in the open position of theswitch.

7. A switch box comprising a casing hav#` ing a base portion and anoutwardly extending front portion `of reducedcross-sectional area, aclosely fitting slidable member disposed in the front portion, a switchdisposed between the slidable member and the base portion, a fusedisposed on the slidable member, means for actuating the slidable memberto open the switch, a door for the front portion, and means mounted onthe door for preventing the closure of the switch so long as the door isopen.

8. A switch box comprising a housing, switch members adjacent the bottomthereof, a detachable cover for the housing having a compartmentopposite the switch members, a fuse carrier slidably mounted in thecompartment and movable toward the said switch member and means mountedupon the cover for moving the said carrier.

9. The combination with a housing having switch members adjacent thebottom thereof, of a cover for the housing having a compartment oppositethe switch members and provided with an opening, a fuse carried withinthe compartment and having a switch terminal on the inner side and afuse on the outer side of the carrier and being movable to closedposition in a direction toward the bottom ot the housing, a second coverfor the compartment and means for interlocking the second cover with thecarrier whereby opening movement of the second cover is precluded solong as the carrier is in closed position.

10; The combination with a housing having switch members adjacent thebottom thereof, of a cover for the housing having a compartment oppositethe switch members and provided with an opening, a fuse carried withinthe compartment and having a switch terminal on the inner side and afuse on the outer side of the carrier and being movable to closedposition in a direction toward the bottom of the housing, a second coverfor the compartment and means for interlockingr the second cover withthe carrier whereby closing movement of the carrier is precluded solonag` as the second cover is in open position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this thirtiethday of August 1919.

HAROLD G. BAXTER.

